After nine seasons, Love Island U.K. host Maya Jama is leaving the villa. She took to social media to make the unexpected announcement.
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“What an incredible era and what an unforgettable time I’ve had, it’s been far too much fun to put into words or a video..but as all good things must come to an end, it’s my time to step down as the host of my beloved Love Island,” she wrote on Instagram.
Jama shared a reel highlighting her time on the show, including her many entrances and exits from the villa.
In her post, she thanked the “people who rooted so hard for me to host the show in the first place,” the “incredible production team,” and the show’s fans. “The show really does belong to the people who watch it and embrace it year after year,” she said.
“I started hosting the show aged 28 and during the 9 incredible series met the most wonderful humans along the way. I’ve loved every slow-mo walk, fire pit and live show. I’ll forever be grateful for the experience.”
“But I’ve always believed that to truly grow, you have to take a leap every now and then, and now is my time to throw myself into something new.”
And that “something new” is a deal with Netflix.
Variety exclusively reported that Jama’s deal has a “number of new projects in the works.”
She recently appeared on season two of Netflix’s The Gentlemen.
“Maya is fabulous,” Anne Mensah, Netflix’s vice president of U.K. content, said in a statement. “She has an infectious energy and an ability to captivate audiences. We adored working with her on The Gentlemen, and we’re absolutely delighted for her to be an even bigger part of the Netflix family.”
“I’m absolutely buzzing to be working with Netflix!” Jama added. “There are some really exciting things coming and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been working on. I can’t give too much away just yet, but I’m so excited for this next chapter. Watch this space!”